Consumer-Staples Rally Underscores Investor Wariness

Investors hedge their bets, even as S&P 500 edges toward new highs

Shares of companies selling everyday household goods such as laundry detergent, cereal and razors are climbing, suggesting that even as the S&P 500 inches toward new highs, investors are hedging their bets through what they see as a safe corner of the market.

The S&P 500 consumer-staples sector has jumped 10% over the past three months, outpacing the S&P 500’s 4.3% gain over the same period.